I'm not sure if this question has ever been asked before. Does anyone know what sort caliber league MLS is equivalent to? Is MLS more like the UK's League 2 or Football League Championship? I was looking into English stadiums and as far as facility size comparisons go MLS is more like Football League Championship but what about the quality of players? Reading F.C's Madejski Stadium looks very similar to empire field, but has slightly less seats.

In my opinion, MLS teams are no better than lower League Championship teams, but that might be giving them too much credit. Perhaps they'd more likely fall into the League one or two level. If you look at the current players on the Whitecaps for example, you've got at least half from last years USSF D-2 team. These seem to be players who either were not good enough to make it overseas, or decided it wasn't worth the effort. Other players like Jay DeMerit and Terry Dunfield, considered among our top players, had brief stints in the English Premiership, but were relegated to lower divisions. The player salaries will always be a drag factor in how quickly the league skill level moves up.

...in other words, MLS is pretty cr&p compared to the rest of the world.

So what I don't get is why do Beckham et al decide to play in it? OK yes, they're offered truckloads of money, but really, if it's such a huge gigantic step down, they would feel like they're playing against schoolkids.

I think you get value for money with MLS as the quality is spread out instead of having a few clubs at the top of the table having success all the time.

Quality MLS sides can surely do ok in mid-table Championship. The bad ones would be down in League 1. That being said, outside of the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, I think good MLS clubs could be in the bottom half of some of the other European leagues or at least fighting for relegation.

...in other words, MLS is pretty cr&p compared to the rest of the world.

So what I don't get is why do Beckham et al decide to play in it? OK yes, they're offered truckloads of money, but really, if it's such a huge gigantic step down, they would feel like they're playing against schoolkids.

I think a lot of the players from Europe, who used to be top players, are so intrigued with the MLS that they come, after their best years are pretty much behind them. I hope the Whitecaps look for young, promising players that can grow with the club. I like the direction they are going so far (except for the strikers, we only have Atiba Harris as our striker, and he scored a career high 4 goals last year. ugh).

It looks like we finally got a striker. Frenchman Eric Hassli who plays for FC Zurich. He's 29 and 6'4 tall and scored 35 goals in 108 competitive matches for Zurich. This season so far he has 5 Goals 3 Assists in 18 competitive matches.
Profile - http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/er...ler_12031.html

He'll now be joining up with his former Zurich teammate Alain Rochat and former Swiss Super League midfielder Davide Chiumiento. I hope this isn't the only striker we've been hearing about on Tommy Soehn's trip to Europe.

^Ya you can see them behind the goal at 2.40 and 2.59 in the vid.
If I remember correctly the RFP for them was only for enough to
cover certain lengths of the pitch but not right around the whole thing.

Here's the 3d wall projection the Whitecaps did last night on the Sears wall.

To me the Whitecaps are going to have much more of a cultural impact on the city than the BC Lions.

And what rational argument can you provide in support of your prediction, beyond personal hopes, wishes and dreams? Before you think about responding, I recommend that you review the arguments and rebuttals regarding that topic posted earlier in this thread.

But that issue aside, it was a great inaugural game for the Whitecaps. Things couldn't have turned out better for them, in terms of weather, the game, the goals (and who scored them), and the ultimate result. It looked very good, and I would think that the stakeholders could not have been more pleased. I wish them every success because it will only add to the entertainment richness of Vancouver.

Don't count on it. The B.C. Lions and North American football have a place in the hearts of Vancouverites and Canadians that soccer will never have.

That said, and as much as I don't care for soccer, I hope the Whitecaps and MLS are as successful as they can possibly be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

The new logo is lame.

How can you be objective if that's your attitude?

The Whitecaps entered the NASL in 1974 and won Soccer Bowl '79 only 5 years later. In that short time they became the focus of the Vancouver sports scene, easily rivaling the Canucks of the time. So you see there is a precedent.

The Whitecaps entered the NASL in 1974 and won Soccer Bowl '79 only 5 years later. In that short time they became the focus of the Vancouver sports scene, easily rivaling the Canucks of the time. So you see there is a precedent.

You obviously didn't read the arguments and empirical evidence presented earlier in this thread, where the popularity of the Whitecaps during their golden years (as measured by attendance) was extensively documented and analyzed. What the empirical evidence shows is that even at the height of their popularity, the Whitecaps failed to surpass the BC Lions in average attendance. So you see there is not a precedent.

Thus, you will need to do better than pointing to an historical precedent that does not exist, if your prediction is to be based on something more than hopes, wishes and dreams.

Now, I will say what I have always said: I hope the Whitecaps do as well as they possibly can, which I think can be quite well. However, no one has presented any compelling argument or evidence that they will do better than the BC Lions.

Logan said "TO ME the Whitecaps are going to have much more of a cultural impact on the city than the BC Lions." In other words, it's just his opinion, so put down the unnecessary argument ammunition and chill out. Maybe it is more of a hope or a vision of the future. Maybe he's right, maybe he's not. Who really cares either way. He presented an idea in a civil, harmless way, that's all.

Logan said "TO ME the Whitecaps are going to have much more of a cultural impact on the city than the BC Lions." In other words, it's just his opinion...Maybe it is more of a hope or a vision of the future...He presented an idea in a civil, harmless way, that's all.

Well, that was precisely my point, which was also presented in a civil, harmless way.

Are you so sensitive that you feel it necessary to come to the defence of a person who is not even being attacked?